Finding Essence in a VUCA-Plus World II: Engagement and Integration

Clarification and Integration

I suggest that the following questions be addressed in seeking to clarity the nature and purpose of specific endeavors:

• How would you know if you have been successful in this endeavor?
• What would make you happy?
• Who else has an investment in this project and what do they want to happen?
• What would happen if you did not achieve this goal?
• What would happen if you did achieve this goal?
• What scares you most about not achieving this goal?
• What scares you most about achieving this goal?

If there is shared agreement regarding the answers to these questions, then a group needs to test its own assumptions. The process of collusion that we have described in this book might be in full effect. BIAS might be fully in effect. Conversely, if there are multiple and often conflicting answers to these questions then NOISE is operating. While diversity of thought and perspective can often be beneficial (Miller and Page, 2007), this diversity can often pose quite a challenge for groups. It is important to remain patient in addressing these differences.

With clarification comes the potential for integration. The following questions might be addressed in seeking to find integration:

• What would happen to the other endeavors if you were successful in achieving goals associated with this endeavor?
• Which endeavor is likely to have “the biggest bang for the buck” in terms of enabling other endeavors to be successful?
• Which endeavor represents the “low handing fruit” (most easily achieved) and how would its achievement impact the other endeavors (and priorities)?
• What might you do to bring the various endeavors closer to one another (through their sequencing, overlap of resources, sharing of certain benefits, etc.)?
• What seems to be the underlying problem if many priorities seem to be independent of one another or even counter to one another? How do you best address this underlying problem?

There is yet another option when addressing the inevitable contradictions to be found in any VUCA-Plus environment. One can make use of the elegant and comprehensive tool called Polarity Management that I introduced in a previous essay regarding the application of a Lens of Essential to the matter of contradiction. I believe that polarity management can effectively address many of the challenges associated with contradiction (as well as those posed by the other five conditions of VUCA-Plus)—as these challenges are being seen through the Lenses of Essence as well as the Lenses of Essential.